| Sefel Records | |
|---|---|
| Parent company | Sefel Geophysical Corporation |
| Founded | June 1980 |
| Founder | Joseph Sefel |
| Genre | Classical, popular |
| Country of origin | Canada |
Sefel Records is a Canadian record label that released classical recordings. The label also released popular music recordings.
Sefel Records was founded in June 1980. It stemmed from the Sefel Geophysical Corporation. It was founded by Joseph Sefel, a Canadian businessman who was originally from Hungary. Sefel also had interests in oil and commercial real estate.
The music division was headed by Paul White who had been the A&R director for Capitol-EMI in Canada as well as a director with the Balmur Group.
The intention of the label was to fill a void as there was no major classical music record label in Canada.
In the early 1980s, the USA contact for the label was R.K. Herrington at 12 Maple Leaf Dr. Park Ridge, N.J. 07656.
Also in the early 1980s the label had created a pop / rock division. The first popular artists were, Brian Plummer, Daniel Lavoie, Dwayne Ford, and Guidonna Lee.
In 1980, Sefel Records had lunched a takeover bid on the Almada corporation.
It was reported in the 15 June 1985 issue of Cash Box that Intercon Music Corp was to handle the U.S. national distribution for Sefel Records.
The box set of recordings by the Budapest Philharmonic and Symphony Orchestras, Barktok: The Major Orchestral Works, conducted by Arpad Joó was positively reviewed in the 19 December 1981 issue of Cash Box.
The Live at Carnegie Hall album by The New York Pops and Skitch Henderson was released on Sefel SEFD 5026. It was reviewed in the 17 March 1984 issue of Billboard. It was positive with the reviewer writing that Henderson was an ideal interpreter and the sound is warm and ingratiating.
As reported in the 29 August 1981 issue of Billboard, Sefel Records was reissuing an album that Brian Plummer had recorded for a defunct record label. Set for release in the fall, the album was to appear with new mixes, vocals and packaging.
By October 1981, Sefel Records was underway with popular releases as a result of the pop / rock division that was created following several new artists that had been signed up. Brian Plummer's album, I'm As Guilty as You had been released. Dwayne Ford's first solo album Needless Freaking had been released. Guidonna Lee's Lessons of Love had also been released. Daniel Lavoie's album Cravings was produced by himself, Ben Low and Mike Delaney. The song "Henry" was taken from the album for single release. From Brian Plummer's album, "I'm As Guilty as You" was released as a single. The song was allegedly based on the kidnapping Toronto millionaire Fred Johnson. Dwayne Ford, an artist who had recently been signed to Sefel Records had released the single, "Livin' and Losin' You". Guidonna Lee was to have the single " Jamie's Song" released. It was taken from her album Lessons of Love which was produced by Howard Steele. It was due to be shipped by the end of October. A children's album by Mark Dominico, George Szabo and Jim Aguanno, I'm Just a Kid was due for release.
Guidonna Lee recorded the single "You Never Saw Me Crying" which was produced by Ken Frissen and released on Sefel Records 45-001. It appeared in the film, The Kidnapping of the President that starred William Shatner, Hal Holbrook, Van Johnson & Ava Gardner. "You Never Saw Me Crying" made both the RPM Weekly RPM Adult Oriented Playlist and the RPM Country 75 Singles charts.